i want to tell you about... nashville

I want to tell you about how I let myself just be a tourist and bought teal cowboy boots and tried on hats and sang out loud to every single country song on the Prime Country XM radio station from the time I got into the rental car until I dropped it off five days later.

I want to tell you about how nice the people of Nashville are. So damn nice. As in I couldn't stop talking about how gracious they are and how they seem to simply open their arms to the tourists who want to pretend they are part of this gorgeous town for a few days.

I want to tell you about the moment we were about to leave the stage of the Grand Ole Opry and I said, "Wait, I really want to be in a photo all by myself." And I stood there and thought about Dolly and Patsy and Loretta and stood taller connected to the women who came before me.

I want to tell you about the heart opening, silly, honest, lovely conversations I had with my friend Vivienne as we explored and did the tourist thing and had drinks in the middle of the day because we could!

I want to tell you about Curve Camp and the magic that is the safe space created by Anna Guest-Jelly and how sacred it felt to be in the most body positive environment this always body and heart of mine have ever been in. Magic. It was pure magic!

I want to tell you about the coffee. Yes, the coffee. And the best hamburger I've ever had in my life that involved blackberry jam.

I want to tell you about the absolute awesome ridiculousness of standing in front of "Deacon Claybourne's" house and just for a minute pretending. Just for a minute.

I want to tell you about how important it is to get away for even just a day to a place where you can just be you. No roles to play. Nothing to do but wander. And when you combine that with gathering with women to tell your stories and deeply connect...well...your heart is going to open in ways that will change you. Yes.

And Nashville, I heart you big time. Can't wait to come back! 

exploring the longings

I posted the following photo on Instagram a few weeks ago and shared these words:

Post coming soon about how we're trying "rainbow dinners" around here to get her to try new foods. (What you aren't seeing in this photo: 3 huge Uline boxes with shipping supplies, an IKEA candle chandelier with about ten spider webs, bird poop on one of the cushions, weeds taller than EJ, and the face of my daughter as she whines "fine I don't want dessert because I'm NOT trying that plum. I'm only eating corn and strawberries!")

I wrote all that extra "what you aren't seeing" info because I know that so often when we scroll through Instagram, we see dreamy, filtered photos and start to fill in the blanks of what we think our "friends'" lives must look like. I know this because I do it too.

I've been known to create a whole story by looking at just one photo.

This might have happened for someone reading my "rainbow dinner" post earlier this week, looking at the table filled with colorful bowls and plates and a happy tablecloth.

They might have even had a thought like, "We're lucky if we take the Mac and Cheese out of the microwave container." (I'm writing that example because it's one we live too some days.)

But again, it all comes down to choices. Here are just a few of the choices hiding in the filtered photo above:

• More joy at dinner time: I've gathered quite a few happy bowls and mismatched plates over the years because they always make me smile and can make the simplest dinners full of more joy. Happy straws and flowers on the table more often helps me access this joy too.
• My everyday life is worthy of using the good stuff: I've started using the vintage tablecloths I've been collecting instead of keeping them for the parties I will throw one day or only using them for retreats. I've begun to own that my everyday life is is worthy of "using the good stuff."
• Quieting the self-judgement: We've been sitting on the back porch even though we're sometimes surrounded by boxes of shipping supplies or a few cobwebs or weeds because eating dinner outside makes us happy. And sitting at the table is a habit we are slowly cultivating. It isn't happening every day but I'm trying to record evidence that it does because it helps me soften self-judgement.

Each day, I'm making small but tangible choices toward the life I want. When I'm waiting for things to all come together or for life to get easier or wishing for my habit of stacking instead of putting away to change, I'm not paying attention to the awesome life we are already living, to the moments full of love and joy.

Of course this doesn't mean that every day feels like it's full of rainbows and ease. Quite the opposite actually. It also doesn't mean I'm trying to wish this current life into something else. Nope. Making small moves every day toward the life I want is actually about being in the present and seeing the beauty that is already here.

And I want my daughter to see the ways I live my dreams into reality even in this small house with the weeds growing next to the hosta plants.

Perhaps more importantly, I want to look myself in the eyes each day and know I'm making the choice to open my heart more each day and really live.

Yep.

Today, I invite you to notice what comes up when you're scrolling through Instagram (or other social media). Do you find yourself feeling longings inside to step inside the photos you see? (And if you notice judgement coming up, look closer to see if a longing is actually inside that judgement.)

Then, take some time to listen to those longings and what they have to teach you. Do you want to travel more? Cuddle more? Read more? Do you want to make more space for writing or adventures or rest?

Think about what moves you could make toward those longings.

pinned it. did it. {with doña}

Doña is back with another Pinned it. Did it. post and it involves margaritas. Yes, please. Read on!

*****

My love affair with spicy cocktails began on a sweltering day in an upstairs cantina in Santa Fe, New Mexico. Coyote Cafe makes a Hatch Chile-infused margarita called the Norteño, so good it is even mentioned their TripAdvisor reviews. Hatch Chiles are grown in the Hatch Valley and not widely distributed outside of New Mexico. They are everywhere in Santa Fe. They are often served roasted, smoky and mellowed, much like the Ortega green chiles I’m familiar with in California. 

That chile-infused margarita, ordered on a whim, was so good that I ordered another, which was one more than I generally drink in an evening but something I only regretted slightly in the morning.

When I returned home I wanted to make my own version so I read up on infused and spiced drinks. I discovered that there are two ways flavors are added to a concoction. Most often, the alcohol is infused with the flavoring. Stoli Vanilla Vodka is a common commercial example. This is how the Santa Fe margarita was made. It is simple enough. Just add the flavoring agent - roasted chiles in this case - to a bottle of alcohol and let it sit for a while. For best results, let it sit for a couple of months. 

I tried infusing a bottle of tequila with roasted Padron peppers late that fall, but by the time the bottle was ready to use I had fallen pregnant. The peppers had turned the alcohol the most gorgeous stormy grey, but even the smell turned my stomach and I gave the bottle away to someone who would appreciate it. Margaritas didn’t figure in my life for quite a while after that.

Last spring I was again reminded about spicy cocktails when I saw a photo of this Spicy Grapefruit Margarita in Ali Edward’s Instagram feed. This recipe uses the other infusion method - flavoring the simple syrup. This method is faster. Just simmer the seasoning in the sugar water and it is ready to use. I got as far as making a jar of the infused simple syrup but the very next day I found out I was pregnant again.

Sometimes I’m sure the universe is conspiring against me.

Another whole year has passed and I’m determined to make my own spicy drink at home! 

Success. And delicious. This drink will be on rotation in this house this summer for sure!

I tripled the proportions for the simple syrup from the original recipe to make enough to store in the fridge for quicker drink-making. I went with the 1/4 tsp suggestion for cayenne, which gave just enough heat and flavor, but is not overwhelming. Warming, but not really hot. You could add more if you prefer truly spicy.

I halved the rest of the recipe to make a single drink - her proportions will make two. Make sure to shake the ingredients with a lot of ice to get them nice and cold and blended well. I prefer the mellower aged flavor of reposada tequila so that’s what I buy, but I really don’t think it matters for this drink. 

I did try her suggestion to use rubbing spices for the rim and it was delicious. I’m going to try smoked paprika with salt next time.

My man, who eats every meal with a fork in one hand and a bottle of Sriracha sauce in the other, doesn’t like hot flavors in his cocktails. It was easy enough to make his drink plain by just using non-infused simple syrup in his glass and plain salt on the rim.

I’m officially a spicy drink convert. Once we hit the cooler months, I’m going to try this Chai Honey Old Fashioned. I like to drink the brown alcohols in the cooler months. 

Doña Bumgarner is a writer, artist, mama and a craft project-collector from way back. She loves Pinterest and uses it to help solve a household dilemma at least once a week (see her “pinned and done” board). She lives in Santa Cruz with her partner, their little one and his almost grown one, and a collection of cats and chickens. If you are needing extra support to ease into summer with the kids at home, find her Welcome To Summer resources and printables pack here. You can also connect with her on Instagram, Twitter, as well as on Pinterest, of course.

rainbow dinner

We've hit that stage where Ellie is saying things like, "I don't like green guys" when she sees bit of basil in her pasta sauce or jumping to "I don't like {insert new food she's never had here.}" The good thing is that she already eats a wide variety of foods and loves several fruits and veggies that she eats daily. But as we dive into farmers' market season here, I really want her to at least try fresh foods that are new to her.

A few weeks ago, I had this sudden brainstorm: Rainbow Dinner.

I explained that we were going to go to the market near our home and buy two fruits we love + one we've never tried, two vegetables we love + one we've never tried, and two cheeses we love + one we've never tried. And we were going to look for all different colors as we were exploring.

Ellie was so excited! She even wanted to wear her rainbow skirt to match her dinner.

We walked through the store naming all the foods and deciding what to put in the cart. There was a lot of: Let's try PURPLE CARROTS! I want to try those yellow tomatoes. Oh yes yes Mommy we MUST get those avocados, I'll put them in the bottom of the cart for you.

It was awesome.

We then worked together to wash and gather everything into pretty bowls and plates and ate at the table on the backporch.

She tried a bite of everything. She didn't like everything, but she was really happy to try. This didn't happen the next time we did "rainbow dinner." She only wanted to try the things she liked. The next time she was more open. And now she loves eating strawberries off the stem even though it means being closer to the green guys.

We've also turned our rainbow dinner into a rainbow pizza the next night when she wanted to put the yellow tomatoes and even the prosciutto onto her pizza. And we've done rainbow pasta.

But here is the really important part: On one hand, yes, this is a story about a parenting win. And I really believe in recording the wins so you can look at them and remember that there are moments when what you are trying to do works...where there is more joy than arguing...where there is softness and laughter.

But this is really about me taking the time to imagine the life I really want to create over here. I want there to be more fresh food going into our bodies. But I don't cook every day and that isn't going to change overnight. I'm not someone who thinks ahead of time about dinner and find myself texting with Jon at the end of the day saying, "Just get takeout again." And we eat in front of the TV sometimes. A lot of times.

Even though takeout will still happen and we will still sit in front of the TV sometimes, I have a choice:

Beat myself up for not being the kind of mom who cooks every night.

OR

Make one move toward more dinners at the table + getting Ellie to try new foods by having some version of rainbow dinner a couple of nights a week.

I can make the choice to make one more move toward the life I want to create over here. Beating myself up for not making those moves gets me nowhere closer to that life today.

And those moves start to add up. Ellie is now saying, "Can we go to the market and get food for rainbow dinner after nap today?"

Yes, honey. Yes. We. Can.

*****

If the idea of unearthing the life you're imagining for yourself and then making one move each day toward it resonates with you, consider joining Hand to Heart, my free ongoing community of women. Each month I share different ideas to add to your current self-care practice and we explore ways to make simple moves toward living the life we really want for ourselves and our loved ones.

Learn more and request to join right here.

new in the shop

I've been adding a few new Soul Mantras to the shop. First up is this feather bracelet. For months, Bonnie (my studio assistant) and I have been dreaming of a bracelet made with this huge feather. We finally made it happen. It comes in three sizes so it will be sure to fit your wrist. It includes a quartz crystal bead to promote clarity and all around daily support.

I've also paired the large feather with a stack of three raw fluorite gemstones. The colors make me so happy! You can find it right here. You can actually wear this necklace three ways because you can easily take the feather or the fluorite off of the chain and wear them individually (or add them to other Soul Mantra necklaces). 

These fluorite drops are all a bit different and range in color from light blue to swirls of purple and green. Just a few of these left.

A new batch of key necklaces is also in the shop. All these vintage keys are from an antique store in Iron Mountain, Michigan. Ellie and I found them while we were visiting my mom this spring. Love sending out these pieces of Midwest history. Each one is a little bit different and some even include numbers (each individual description indicates this). They are paired with a brass Soul Mantra that says "open up and live" and a kyanite gemstone to help you speak your truth.

And we have more Sleepy Moon earrings available. I wear mine just about every day. 

And for the first time since opening my shop seven years ago, I'm already dreaming up the collections I'll be sharing for fall and winter. The plan is to add more gemstones and a few other good things. Thank you so much for supporting my shop so that I can live these dreams and share my message in this concrete way that puts love from my studio right into your hands. 

Love and light,
Liz 

One Move

Imagine a girl dreaming of happy colors, long walks, more laughter.
Imagine a girl remembering how she used to sew, sketch, and daydream about writing a book.
Imagine a girl trusting that she can live the life she wants even though the twists and turns have brought her to some unexpected places.
Imagine a girl choosing to make one move toward this dream, this life every day.

Come along with the girls of Chickadee Road and reconnect with that girl inside you as you make One Move each day toward the life you imagine for yourself.

In “One Move,” Kelly Barton and I will lead you in a two-week adventure of reconnecting with that inquisitive, wise girl inside you as you name the life you want and discover and begin practicing one move each day toward that life.

In Week 1, we'll dive into naming and claiming the life you've imagined and open up toward living it. 

In Week 2, we'll begin to practice making one small but significant move each day toward that life. We will also look at ways to continue the "One Move" practice after our two-week adventure ends.

Details:

Dates: July 14-25, 2014

What “One Move” includes:

1) Daily emails Monday through Friday that will guide you in connecting with the dreams inside you and the life you imagine. There will be creative prompts to help you discover your "moves," inspiration, and stories from our own experiences.

2) Four Spreecasts: 

• Week 1 will include a 90-minute workshop with Liz and Kelly just like you are with us in the circle at one of our retreats. We will each share stories and guide you through a journaling exercise to help you name the pieces of the life you’ve imagined for yourself.
• Each week will also include an hour long question & answer session, which will also give time for you to share your stories and might even include a guest or two. 
• A follow-up session about a month after the class ends to give you the opportunity to check in, ask questions, share where you are, and so on. (This also gives people who are working through the material a bit more slowly a chance to still participate in a Spreecast and ask questions and share where they are in the process.)

If you are unable to attend the Spreecasts live, they will be recorded and you can watch (and re-watch) them at any time.

3) A private Facebook group where we can connect with one another, share stories, ask questions, check in, and be in community together.

Cost: $75 (Register over on Chickadee Road)

This class is for you:
 

If you’ve felt discouraged as you experience the disconnect between your everyday life and the life you envision for yourself.

You might even have stories like, “When this {big change} happens, I will finally do {insert dream here}.” Or "I thought by the time I was {insert age here}, I would {insert something you always wanted to do but haven't done yet}.

And even though life is good, you feel a longing to make some changes, to come back to center, or to spend some time with the dreams you had when you were younger. You feel a longing to invite in more joy and more light and more space.

The two of us have been there. And this is what we’ve learned: Each day you can make the choice to take one step toward the life you want. And then you can take one more step the next day. Even when you’d rather go back to bed. Even when life takes an unexpected turn. Even when the morning starts with burnt toast. 

Kelly and I would love to have you come along. Head over to Chickadee Road to read more (including an FAQ) and register.

trying on new {website} clothing

I'm feeling restless over here. At least in the sense that I'm in that space where I know I want to make some changes to my website, but I'm not quite ready to take the big plunge into a new fancy site. I just want to tweak things a bit here and there, even though that probably goes against all that "they" would tell me to do when it comes to a brand.

I just want to set that down and have some fun. Like I want to keep changing that tagline up there to whatever I'm moved to whisper to you today. And I want to play with a few different colors. Like pink. Yes, pink. Because why not? And I want to revise my about page. And create a page about how I want to teach more and give talks and circle more in person. And maybe even create a page for local events because I really believe I'm going to make that happen. And how the list goes on. (I did just add a welcome page right here. Probably needs some bells and whistles but it makes me happy.)

So I'm going to just go at my pace and make this a summer project. It won't be the kind you do all on one weekend, but the kind you do in the inbetween spaces after everyone goes to bed or when the breeze on the back porch is just right or after you pour that perfect tall glass of fresh homemade lemonade.

Yes. Exactly at that pace.

(So pardon the construction at times. You probably won't really notice, but I wanted to let you know.)

two really good things

Indie Kindred is available to rent online! I'm so honored to have been part of this documentary by my dear friend Jen Lee. Last year, Jen took the film to a few different cities, and I was at a few of the screenings and had so much fun hugging you gorgeous people in person and sharing stories and answering questions with some of the ladies from the film. So much goodness.

And now you can watch this beautiful film in your own home! Rent it right here. Every time I see it, it truly feels like a gift that reminds me I'm not alone as I create over here in my studio. Yes. I hope it does the same for you. I know it will.

Jen has also created a beautiful Facebook community for creative kindreds that is one of my favorite spots online. Join us here.

*****

Mindy Tsonas has put together a gorgeous summer offering called Inner Alchemy Circle.

I'm delighted to be one of the women circling with the group by sharing one of my own practices that connects me to the fire within.

Learn all about this offering here.